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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25260988">What You Cannot See</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/startrekkingaroundasgard/pseuds/startrekkingaroundasgard'>startrekkingaroundasgard</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Great (TV 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Awkward Flirting, F/M, Gift Giving, Historical Inaccuracy, Love Letters, Nervousness, Oblivious, Pining, Romance, probably</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:47:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,107</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25260988</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/startrekkingaroundasgard/pseuds/startrekkingaroundasgard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on the request: Orlo finally meeting a person who he is genuinely attracted to in both the physical and emotional sense, but since he’s a nervous boi he tries his best not to show these feelings. But after a while he gets the courage to start leaving hints but the reader is just completely oblivious and doesn’t get it until he makes some sort of obvious romantic gesture.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Orlo (The Great TV 2020)/Reader, Orlo (The Great TV 2020)/You</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Orlo knew that there was an undisputed order to things; a division between the hunters and the hunted. It was just nature’s way of keeping the world balanced, weeding out the weak and allowing the strong to thrive. While the rest of the court may have considered Orlo among the hunted, he felt confident - if uncomfortable - that when push came to shove he would be able to do what was necessary to survive.</p><p>It was simply the only way to survive in this awful place. A person had to go against what they knew in their heart was right to fit in, to hide among the other predators, keep their head down and hope that their weaknesses weren’t discovered for that would mean humiliation at best or death at worst. </p><p>People grew hard fast, their edges sharp and attitudes brisk. The few with a functioning brain of their own learned to quieten their thoughts and became proficient in twisting hearts and minds in their favour, master puppeteers. No one stayed soft for long, either transforming into another viper in the nest or being swallowed whole by the vicious hell beasts masquerading as Russian nobles.</p><p>That was why you were so incredible, in Orlo’s eyes. Somehow, despite years in this ferocious place, you had managed to maintain your dignity, your gentle touch and inquisitive mind. You sat with the other ladies but never played their nasty games, never verbally expressed your distaste for their behaviour but made it clear that you would never treat others the way they did. You were unnecessarily kind to the serfs, offered them your left over food instead of overindulging or tossing it aside to rot and actively (if privately) encouraged them to persue their own interests and better themselves by offering your own books and resources.</p><p>You were a shining example of goodness among the debauchery, always a kind smile on your face and well considered advice for whomever needed it most. You gave your time freely, willingly, as a gift to those who neither deserved your time nor truly appreciated it in the way they should. Orlo always did, though.</p><p>Unfortunately, whenever you were around, Orlo found himself acting the idiot the rest of the court frequently deemed him to be. Your unshakable poise, your incomparable beauty and your spectacular mind… It was simply too much. You proved over and over again with your cheery wit and charm that he was unworthy of your attentions, that your affections would never align with his own. </p><p>He continued to seek you out, regardless, drawn to you like a moth to a shining flame; a literal beacon of light in this court of shadows. Sometimes, like tonight, you sought him out. Sneaking away from one of Lady Svenska’s dull gatherings, you crept into the library and sat with him, the dim flicker of the candle reflected in your eyes.</p><p>     “You look…”</p><p>    “Tired, no doubt,” you said, mercifully filling in the silence as Orlo struggled to find a single word in the many languages he spoke to adequately capture your radiance. Shifting the skirts of your dress, you made yourself comfortable against the wall and looked at him expectantly. “That’s when you’re supposed to tell me that I look beautiful, Orlo, and that the hardships of the day have taken no toll on my appearance.”</p><p>    “You look beautiful.”</p><p>You laughed softly, completely oblivious to the truth behind his words. Deft fingers making short work of the pins which held your wig into place – of course you didn’t need a serf to take care of such things – adjusting it to sit more comfortably, your gaze dropped to the pile of books at his side. “I do not recognise those titles.”</p><p>    “They arrived from Europe today.”</p><p>A glimmer of excitement flickered across your expression, shining so brightly that not even the thick shadows of the night could conceal them. Your fingers twitched against the floor, itching to reach out and grab the books for a proper inspection. “To what have your friends treated you this time? Poetry? Philosophy? Scientific advances?”</p><p>    “A little of everything,” Orlo said, his own enthusiasm rising to meet yours. It was so rare to find anyone that shared his love of literature, his appreciation for the written word, that these discussions were you made his month. “I have not had time to read more than a few pages of each but one speaks of new medical practises that might be able to eradicate the pox and the new anthology by Carter is captivating.”</p><p>    “I should very much like to read them when you are done,” you said.</p><p>Reaching inside one of the many folds of your skirt, Orlo’s heartbeat picking up as you flashed your legs in the process, you pulled out the two small bound books he had given you to read last week. He maintained that he had found them in the depths of the underused collection when in fact they were his own personal copies, annotated and analysed within an inch of their lives.</p><p>His fingers brushed yours as you returned the small books. Orlo instinctively flicked through their pages and his heart beat faster still to see that you had made some notes of your own beside his.</p><p>Noticing his attention to the neat letters, you said softly, “I do hope you don’t mind.”</p><p>    “Not at all.” He shoved the leather bound books into his pocket, resolving to read each and every comment you left him until he knew them by heart. Orlo would treasure the insight into your mind; perhaps it would finally show him the perfect way to proclaim his feelings for you.</p><p>Until then, the small, unnoticed gestures would have to suffice. Nudging the pile of new books towards you, Orlo said, “You may have first pick, if you like.”</p><p>    “Dear Orlo, you are far too kind to me.” You lifted the pile up and studied each title, your forehead crumpling in concentration, before choosing which to take away with you. “I shall have this one, if I may?”</p><p>Orlo smiled to himself, feeling just a little chuffed that he’d been able to guess the title you’d choose. It was a book of science, detailing new practises and exciting new ideas from across the continent. He’d asked his friend to send it especially, recalling how much you had enjoyed the last collection from the English Royal Society before.</p><p>Weighing it up in your hands, you hummed softly, pleased with your choice, and then looked back to Orlo. “I anticipate this shall occupy me for four days. After that, if you have the time, I should like to meet back and discuss what I have read? Only if that is agreeable to you, of course.”</p><p>    “Naturally. Although, I suspect you shall finish it within three. You do not give yourself enough credit, Y/N.”</p><p>    “I needn’t bother when I have the likes of you to bolster my ego!” Hiding the book in the layers of your skirt, you pushed yourself to your feet and said, “I apologise that I cannot stay longer however Lady Svenska only believes I went to the bathroom. I doubt she missed my presence but I daren’t keep her any longer. You know how she can be.”</p><p>    “Indeed. Enjoy the book.”</p><p>You flashed him a dazzling smile, overflowing with mischief as if you and he shared some kind of sordid secret. “I’m certain I shall. See you back here three days hence. Good night, Orlo.”</p><p>    “Good night, my lady.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Orlo glanced out of the grand window, his heart rate increasing as he noticed the carriage riding towards the palace. Your carriage. Trouble on your estate had drawn you away, he didn’t know the exact details due to your sudden departure during the night, but now, after an achingly long break, you were back.</p><p>It had been weeks since he’d last seen you, some of the longest of his life. It wasn’t that he couldn’t function without you around, love sick though he may be he wasn’t that far gone, but it had been considerably harder to suffer the past month of humiliation around the court without you about to life his spirits in the aftermath.</p><p>He wanted nothing more than the exit the meeting with Peter – although calling it anything other than a piss take would be kind, seeing how the Emperor had simply gathered his advisors to take drunken shots at them all following the recent failure in the war against Sweden. However, Orlo knew his duty and bared his teeth through the ‘hilarious’ jokes that Peter made at his expense until he was finally, mercifully dismissed.</p><p>Despite the deep desire to welcome you back to court, or rather soften the blow of returning to this hell pit with the face of a familiar friend, Orlo found himself back in his own quarters. You no doubt needed your rest after the long trip from your estates and he would see you at dinner regardless.</p><p>Truly, it was nerves that stopped Orlo from crossing the palace to your suite. He knew that the moment he saw you alone that he would be possessed by the urge to pull you into an embrace, to hold you tightly and savour your presence. As friendly as your relationship was, the count doubted you would accept such affectionate behaviour.</p><p>Worse than that, though, it would only serve to reveal his feelings for you, a secret he had guarded for so long. The thought that you might turn him away was more than reason enough to stay put and wait for you to seek him out instead. Unfortunately, that led to an afternoon wasted to pacing the length of his rooms and he must have walked their length a hundred times.</p><p>Orlo tried to distract himself by reading but every book he pulled from the shelf made him think of you, of the discussions you had shared or the ideas that you might possess about the contents. And every time his thoughts circled back to you, the affection that he tried so hard to hide bubbled up in his chest, brighter, stronger than ever.</p><p>You were too good for this place, for him, but he was a selfish man. He wouldn’t have you anywhere else, even though you could do wonders away from the court, build your family’s estate into the haven of knowledge that you both knew it could be. Orlo thought of your wonderful mind, the things you could achieve if not for Peter’s hold on you, and it filled him with a sadness he could hardly understand.</p><p>So lost in his thoughts, Orlo barely heard the guards announce the entry of another person into his quarters. He waved his hand dismissively, uninterested in being drawn from this pitiful state of pining, when he heard your voice.</p><p>    “Now, dear Count, is that any way to treat your friend?”</p><p>    “Y/N! I… I apologise. I did not – Why are you here?”</p><p>His sharp question had no impact on your mood. You smiled brightly, still able to light up the room despite the dark bags beneath your eyes. Without invitation, you took a seat on the sofa and made yourself comfortable in his space. He watched, amused, as you neatly stacked the books he had discarded on the seat.</p><p>Opening an old novel, you flicked through the crumpled pages without taking in a single word. The flickering candlelight warmed your face, smoothed the lines of concern around your eyes. “You missed dinner, Orlo. I was concerned.”</p><p>    “I was not hungry,” he lied, only moments later to be betrayed by his grumbling stomach.</p><p>You chuckled and called for your serf. Orlo frowned as Karolina, a young woman you were also tutoring in your free time, was allowed inside. She set a small plate of meat, fruit and bread on the table, bowed her head and disappeared back into the corridor. “I suspected you had become distracted in your books and forgotten to eat.”</p><p>    “Y/N…” The count was lost for words, overcome by your kindness. You truly were too good for this place.</p><p>Gesturing to the newly cleared space beside you, you said, “Orlo, you needn’t stand all evening. You know that I won’t bite.”</p><p>He stumbled around the table to take his seat, aware of every inch between you. Your large skirts took up well over half the sofa no matter how you tried to adjust them but he didn’t mind. Picking at a large chunk of bread, Orlo asked, “How goes the business on your estate? It must have been serious to keep you for so long.”</p><p>You rolled your eyes, dramatically slumping into the sofa as you exhaled a deep, deep sigh. Orlo wondered if you’d carried it around for weeks, allowed it to weigh you down until now – your first chance to relax and release all that stress. It was a privileged to be the one with whom you felt able to lower your walls. God knows that there weren’t many in the palace worthy of such vulnerability.</p><p>    “My cousin returned and demanded control over our land.”</p><p>Orlo almost choked on crumbs. “Dmitri? I thought he died in battle.”</p><p>    “Sadly, not. Oh, that does sound terrible. Forgive me but Dmitri is a disgrace to our family name. He is a drunkard with no manners and no appreciation for knowledge. My father funded his… habits for a period but there was an incident with a European diplomat and his daughter and Dmitri was disowned not long after. He fled before the war began and I had rather hoped I would never see him again.”</p><p>    “That must have been difficult, especially without your father to control him.”</p><p>You nodded, expression blank at the mention of your father. He had been a great general, and an even better man, but even skilled tacticians made mistakes. Unfortunately, his had cost him his life. As his oldest child, you took control of the land and while you were at court your younger sister managed the day to day running of the estate. You rarely went back home, except for emergencies like this.</p><p>Wordlessly, you plucked a piece of orange from his plate and picked at the flesh without intention of ever actually eating it. Your gaze grew distant and Orlo wondered exactly how you had been forced to deal with your errant cousin. A stiff smile crossed your lips, a harsh line that did not belong with the rest of your beautiful features. “Regardless, I shall not have to worry about him again.”</p><p>Like being struck by a jolt of lightning, you suddenly brightened once more. “No more on the matter, though. Tell me, Orlo, how you were while I was away.”</p><p>    “It was a hardship with you gone. Your presence was sorely missed.”</p><p>    “No need to be cruel.”</p><p>    “I would never. Not to you.” Setting the plate back on the table, his hunger barely satiated, Orlo rose to his feet and pulled a few letters from the top drawer of his desk. This would certainly prove to be a mistake but he couldn’t bare to have you think that he hadn’t thought of you every day, that you were little more than another hollow smile around the court.</p><p>He handed you the sealed envelopes, the tremble of his hands disguised by the flickering of candles. “I wrote you a letter each week you were gone.”</p><p>You ran your fingers over the wax seal, lips curling up in a soft, genuine smile. The delicate way you held the letters, as if they were the most precious texts in the world, had Orlo’s heart beating madly in his chest. How he had imagined you might touch him in a similar way.</p><p>The Count could no longer recall their exact contents but he knew the words were imbued with some of the deep emotions he tried to keep hidden. Thankfully, you didn’t open them there and then. Orlo wasn’t sure he could handle the embarrassment of you reading his words in person.</p><p>Still staring at the envelopes, tracing the smooth lines of his unique penmanship, you reached out and touched his arm. “That was very kind of you, Orlo. Thank you for thinking of me.”</p><p>What he really wanted to say was that he thought of you often, that it was never a hardship and that you were the one piece of light in this otherwise dark world of shadows. However, all that came out was a meaningless mumble, the words joining together into one garbled sound that portrayed precisely none of his true feelings.</p><p>    “I have for you another gift,” he said, suddenly finding his voice once more. Despite his failed tongue tied attempt to admit the truth, Orlo still believed this the right time to try and admit his feelings. If he could not speak them, then perhaps he could present them in another way.</p><p>Your eyebrows shot up, intrigue and excitement literally buzzing through your body as you sat up straight and grinned. “You do spoil me, dear Count.”</p><p>Above the grand fireplace sat a small box which Orlo quickly retrieved. It was simple, dark wood from the forest, but he had had the most skilled artisans carve beautiful and intricate patterns into the surface. Perched on the edge of the table, he sat opposite you then dropped the gift into your smooth hands.</p><p>    “Oh, Orlo!” you exclaimed, pulling the necklace from inside. It was a delicate design, a teardrop gem on a thin silver chain, stunning and sophisticated just like you. “This is beautiful! But what is the occasion?”</p><p>    “No occasion. A trader passed through court while you were away and I thought of you when I saw it.” He rose to his feet and asked, “May I?”</p><p>Without even a beat of hesitation, you allowed him to hang the chain around your neck. His inky fingers brushed your skin as he clasped it at the back and he was certain that a shiver ran down your spine. Could he possibly hope…?</p><p>You touched the gem and smiled, reaching back to take his hand. “Thank you, my friend.”</p><p>Friend. Of course. You would never see him as anything more. How foolish of him to imagine you might feel more. The sorrow that threatened to consume him ebbed away in view of your gracious expression and as you began discussing one of the books you had borrowed from him before your sudden departure, already deep in analysis, brimming with passion and new ideas, Orlo committed to loving you from afar, gracious for all of this time with you regardless.</p>
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